Alton Towers has changed the plans for its wooden coaster (thanks if anyone ACTUALLY sent a letter to SMDC). O.K., I thought, until I read 'Opens for 2007.'

2007!!

Alton's biggest project for it's anniversary is now probably being built for 2007. A bigger question hangs behind the shock: WHAT WILL BE OPENING IN 2005? New Water ride-2004, (should've been) Woodie-2005, something-2006, (shouldn't be) woodie. Deja Vu? Deja Vu?

does Alton towers need a new woody coaster. With the tourism industry, being unstable at the moment. What will the future hold for tourist attractions,like theme parks?Trends change and consumers needs change year in year out, with high tech coaster and more interactive attractions, like themed rides, the future trends cannot be known so far in advance. This is why the British Tourist Board, can't forcast trends for the future, so how come Alton Towers, know best, when researching theme parks arounds the Uk, for a Degree, project, trends are changing, theme parks like Alton Towers, are pricing themselves out of the market. £100 for a family of 4 for the day, according to Which? magazine. Who can afford those prices?

ATs is not affected by fluctuations in the tourist market as such. It's going to take a good 18 mths - 2 yrs to build the thing plus a further 6 - 12 mts for planning / enquiries etc - so forward planning is required. The company needs a 5 year strategy even if it pulls projects along the way.

Bear in mind it took since the birth of Nemesis for Alton Towers and Warldey to put Air on the park map. I should think they'll go to whatever lengths to implement the woodie plans, and I would think they'd use the same tactic they did with Oblivion, to 'leapfrog' a more distant plan over another, so that they will get SOMETHING between now and 2007 - just a case of what.

The woodie has been nothing but trouble, and is really trying the patience of the locals - this should be the same showdown Chessington saw with Vampire all those years back. AT should think carefully about their next move - the future of Tussauds can change heavily in the next few years, lest we forget rumours of takeover and floatation.

Don't panic! Alton Towers should revise their plans. They expect that. Look what they did with Air and Oblivion - one leapfrogged the other in production.

I think what we could expect (and this is only estimation on my part) is something like this:

2004 - Spinball Whizzer and Bathtime With Attitude (see my thread).2005 & 2006 - Refurbs of their major rides: NEMESIS - good theming but needs updating, getting creaky.AIR - The Great Theming Debate continues, we could see some new stuff soon.OBLIVION - Any ideas anyone? Constructive ideas, Ben Mills, not tear it down.CORKSCREW - Replace whatever it is that makes it so harsh to ride and replace that whiney motor, you can hear it in Forbidden Valley.

Plus in that two year gap maybe a slightly tamer flat ride or two.2007 - SECRET WEAPON 6, THE WOODIE.

Depends, of course, how tight the purse-strings are with Tussauds. Expect major revenue though in the next few years, Chessington should be rolling in it, Joe Public will wake up and realize Thorpe's the place to go, and Alton Towers...will be Alton Towers.

I'm not sure we'll see that many improvements. Tussauds are not into refurbing something if its still pulling in the punters. I expect flat ride mayhem in 2005 and 2006, with possibly a kids ride in there somewhere. Maybe a Katanga redo. Maybe.

And there's no cheap fix for Oblivion. See, I've always thought that the theming is quite good in the queue and station. That whole 'Four Stages of Insanity' thing they do is pretty neat, and the drop works well. BUT - it sucks because the ride is just too damn short. After the drop, it has no purpose. Its basically a flat ride on a track.

Lets not go over the top with Nemesis, either. Yes, its a great coaster. But it ain't no world beater. And the theming isn't all that great, either.

And Air just needs something. Anything, in fact.Maybe some of that cool underground government base stuff they planned for SW1+2? That would look pretty cool, zooming through that. Still, thats dreaming. It won't happen for at least ten years, if ever. Sigh.

I thought a military theming would be brilliant for Air, but all evidence of that was pretty much scrapped after 9/11. So yes, ten years should be long enough to wait for theming of that nature.

As for Nemesis...if Britain had to put forward one coaster in a competition of world coasters, which one would it be? Dragon's Fury is too early to say, Vampire...no, Oblivion? nooooo, Scenic Railway maybe, Pepsi Max Big One a contender, but Nemesis does have the potential to be a world beater. Well it'd probably come 7th but it's the one for the UK entry.

Nemesis has every chance of being a world beater. John wardley buried the thing and i admire him for that. it is still accelerating up until the vertical look and that insanley close scenery just helps to improve the intensity. NEMESIS ROCKS.

I can honestly say I can't see them building it at all. It was talked about being launched for 2004, but then Splash Landings Hotel was built. The near fact that my most favorite ride Thunder Looper (aged 13) was ordered to be taken down due to noise pollution,and the Wooden Coaster being much louder, speaks for itself. The wooden Coaster would also require alot of space so therefore Alton towers Grounds would need to made bigger unless of course they build it over the rest of the park so you would be walking under the track itself! It does make you wonder with these launch coasters being built what will be next!